Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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Question 188: To ask the Minister for Finance if the National Asset Management Agency can confirm if they will be making properties available to local community organisations for various community uses, in particular, if they have any properties available at a location (details supplied) in County Kerry. [27526/11]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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NAMA has a commercial remit and a statutory objective to generate a return for the taxpayer. However, within the context of its commercial remit and consistent with section 2 of the National Asset Management Agency Act 2009, NAMA is at all times open to considering proposals aimed at contributing to broader social and economic objectives. Thus NAMA is open to facilitating the work of public and community bodies in the creation of vibrant sustainable communities where this is possible. The NAMA Board has committed to giving first option to State bodies on the purchase of property which may be suitable for their purposes where these bodies have requirements such as schools, hospitals, parks, and so on. I understand that officials of NAMA have already had contact with officials of the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government, Department of Education and Skills, the HSE, local authorities and other public bodies to explore the scope for such arrangements.

Any local community organization such as the one mentioned by the Deputy, which has a proposal which it wishes to put to NAMA should contact the Portfolio Management unit within NAMA. The NAMA Chairman recently informed the Joint Committee on Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform that engagement with community groups with regard to land has happened and will continue to happen. He informed the Committee that NAMA would not give away land but should a community group have an interest in a particular piece of land or property or wishes to extend a sports pitch it should speak with NAMA.

In the context of social objectives, I would add that NAMA concluded the sale of 58 social and affordable units to the Cluid Housing association in July. The agency has provided a list of over 1,000 other properties to the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government, which that Department is examining for suitability. I am informed by NAMA that an official from the Housing and Sustainable Communities Agency is currently on an assignment in NAMA to review the suitability of available property with the NAMA portfolio team.